US6317044B1 — Inventoriable object control and tracking system

Claim 1

Independent Claim 208 words

An object tracking system comprising: a plurality of tags each associated with an object to be tracked and each having a depending tongue with opposed side faces; a touch memory device attached to the tongue of each of said tags, each touch memory device storing a code identifying its corresponding tag; each of said touch memory devices protruding from one side face of the tongue of its corresponding tag a distance greater than from the other side face thereof; a storage unit for receiving and storing said plurality of tags; said storage unit having a plurality of slots, each slot being asymmetrically profiled to allow the tongue and touch memory device of one of said tags to pass through said slot in one orientation of said tag but to prevent the tongue and touch memory device from passing through said slot in other orientations of said tag; a sensor associated with each of said slots for engaging the touch memory device on the tongue of a tag inserted through said slot for accessing the code stored in said touch memory device; and a controller coupled to said sensors for receiving codes and processing the received codes to determine the absence and presence of tags in the storage unit.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 208 words

An object tracking system comprising: a plurality of tags each associated with an object to be tracked and each having a depending tongue with opposed side faces; a touch memory device attached to the tongue of each of said tags, each touch memory device storing a code identifying its corresponding tag; each of said touch memory devices protruding from one side face of the tongue of its corresponding tag a distance greater than from the other side face thereof; a storage unit for receiving and storing said plurality of tags; said storage unit having a plurality of slots, each slot being asymmetrically profiled to allow the tongue and touch memory device of one of said tags to pass through said slot in one orientation of said tag but to prevent the tongue and touch memory device from passing through said slot in other orientations of said tag; a sensor associated with each of said slots for engaging the touch memory device on the tongue of a tag inserted through said slot for accessing the code stored in said touch memory device; and a controller coupled to said sensors for receiving codes and processing the received codes to determine the absence and presence of tags in the storage unit.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 29 words

An object tracking system as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a backplane in said storage unit spaced from said slots, said sensors being disposed on said backplane.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 47 words

An object tracking system as claimed in claim 2 and wherein said sensors comprise pairs of contacts, each pair of contacts being aligned with a respective one of said slots for contacting the touch memory device of a tag when the tag is inserted in said slot.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 24 words

An object tracking system as claimed in claim 3 and further comprising means on said tags for attaching a trackable object to each tag.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 19 words

An object tracking system as claimed in claim 4 and wherein said trackable object is at least one key.

Claim 7

Independent Claim 241 words

A system for tracking and controlling access to a plurality of keys, said system comprising: a plurality of tags each having a first end and a second end and opposed side faces; attachment means on one end of each tag for attaching keys to be tracked; a memory device on the other end of each tag, each memory device protruding a greater distance from one side face of said tag than from the other side face of said tag, each memory device storing a code identifying said tag and thus identifying keys attached thereto; a container for receiving and storing tags and their keys; a panel in said container, said panel being formed with an array of slots, said slots for receiving the ends of tags bearing said memory devices, each of said slots being configured with a bulge along one side such that the ends of tags that bear memory devices may be inserted through the slots in one orientation of said tags while being prevented from passing through the slots in other orientations of said tags; an array of sensors in said container, each sensor corresponding to one of said slots for reading the code from a memory device when the tag bearing the memory device is inserted in said slot; and a controller coupled to said sensors for receiving codes read by said sensors and determining the absence or presence of tags and their keys within said container.

Claim 8

Independent Claim 241 words

A system for tracking and controlling access to a plurality of keys, said system comprising: a plurality of tags each having a first end and a second end and opposed side faces; attachment means on one end of each tag for attaching keys to be tracked; a memory device on the other end of each tag, each memory device protruding a greater distance from one side face of said tag than from the other side face of said tag, each memory device storing a code identifying said tag and thus identifying keys attached thereto; a container for receiving and storing tags and their keys; a panel in said container, said panel being formed with an array of slots, said slots for receiving the ends of tags bearing said memory devices, each of said slots being configured with a bulge along one side such that the ends of tags that bear memory devices may be inserted through the slots in one orientation of said tags while being prevented from passing through the slots in other orientations of said tags; an array of sensors in said container, each sensor corresponding to one of said slots for reading the code from a memory device when the tag bearing the memory device is inserted in said slot; and a controller coupled to said sensors for receiving codes read by said sensors and determining the absence or presence of tags and their keys within said container.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 181 words

An object tracking system comprising a plurality of units corresponding to objects to be tracked, a receptacle having a plurality of slots, each slot for receiving a unit, an identifying code stored on each of said units, sensors associated with said slots for reading the codes of units disposed in said slots, and a controller coupled to said sensors for receiving and processing said codes to track said units and thus to track the objects associated therewith, each of said units comprising a relatively thin tag having first and second end portions and opposed side faces, said identifying code of each tag being stored in a touch memory device attached to said tag at said first end portion and protruding a greater distance from one side face of said tag than from the other side face of said tag, said slots being asymmetrically configured such that said first end portion and its touch memory device may be inserted through said slot in one orientation of said tag but is prevented from passing through said slot in other orientations of said tag.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 181 words

An object tracking system comprising a plurality of units corresponding to objects to be tracked, a receptacle having a plurality of slots, each slot for receiving a unit, an identifying code stored on each of said units, sensors associated with said slots for reading the codes of units disposed in said slots, and a controller coupled to said sensors for receiving and processing said codes to track said units and thus to track the objects associated therewith, each of said units comprising a relatively thin tag having first and second end portions and opposed side faces, said identifying code of each tag being stored in a touch memory device attached to said tag at said first end portion and protruding a greater distance from one side face of said tag than from the other side face of said tag, said slots being asymmetrically configured such that said first end portion and its touch memory device may be inserted through said slot in one orientation of said tag but is prevented from passing through said slot in other orientations of said tag.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 31 words

An object tracking system as claimed in claim 7 and further comprising attachment means on said second end portion of each of said tags for attaching an object to said tag.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 39 words

An object tracking system as claimed in claim 8 and wherein said objects are keys and wherein said attachment means comprises a rivet on said second end of each of said tags for attaching a key to said tag.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 25 words

An object tracking system as claimed in claim 7 and further comprising means for limiting the depth of insertion of said tags in said slots.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 35 words

An object tracking system as claimed in claim 10 and wherein said means for limiting the depth of insertion comprises a shoulder formed in each of said tags intermediate said first and second ends thereof.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 19 words

An object tracking system as claimed in claim 7 and wherein each of said tags is formed of plastic.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 18 words

An object tracking system as claimed in claim 7 and wherein said receptacle comprises at least one drawer.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 29 words

An object tracking system as claimed in claim 13 and wherein said receptacle comprises a plurality of drawers, each drawer having a plurality of said slots and said sensors.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 23 words

An object tracking system as claimed in claim 14 and wherein said controller is coupled to said sensors of each of said drawers.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 23 words

An object tracking system as claimed in claim 15 and wherein said controller is coupled to said sensors by a serial communications link.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2004-11-12	2005-05-14	2005-11-13	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2008-11-12	2009-05-14	2009-11-13	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2012-11-12	2013-05-14	2013-11-13	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Inventoriable object control and tracking system

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