BE1020812A4 - AUTOMATIC SEARCH SYSTEM FOR REGISTERED OBJECTS. - Google Patents

Description

Automatic search system for registered objects Domain

The invention relates to an automatic search system with which a series of unique reference addresses each refer to one unique registered object. By a single operation, namely entering a reference address, the search system can be contacted and all registered data about the object can be retrieved at the same time.

Essence of the invention

The invention is characterized in that an automated search system is created in which a number of objects to be registered is assigned a unique search code (2) per object. A search can be started by entering a combined identification in an electronic search system, which contains both the address (4) of the search system and the identification (5) of the object. This way, a search result can be found with a single operation. The introduction of the identification of both the address of the retrieval system and that of the object to be retrieved can be done by means of reading in a single machine-readable code.

State of the art

There are several systems in place for registering objects and returning them, for example after loss or theft. Most of these systems are limited to providing a messaging system where finder and owner can possibly find each other.

In the last decade a few new systems have appeared where valuable objects can be registered in advance by their owner (for example WO 03/058397, US7978068 BI). Each object is assigned a unique code that can be applied to the object. Alternatively, a unique code specific to the object, such as the serial number, can sometimes be registered.

A finder who finds the object can enter the registration number or serial number in the search system (for example a website) to see if the owner is known. The contact details of the owner may be hidden here, in order to guarantee the privacy or safety of the owner.

However, the existing systems have the disadvantage that the finder has to take several actions. First of all, he must enter the address of the lookup system, for example in a computer. Then he must follow the changes to the lookup system and search for the field where he must enter the registration number or serial number of the object. This is annoying because multiple actions are required. In addition, entering the address and code is very cumbersome on mobile devices without a solid keyboard. That is why in many cases a search is only made by a finder when he or she is certain that it is a lost object. In doubtful cases, such as an abandoned bicycle, the finder will usually not make the effort to find out if it is actually lost or just parked. For order services or service providers, too, it is cumbersome to check larger numbers of objects, such as all belongings, during a routine check.

Another important disadvantage of the current systems is that the owner of the item can only be found when the finder knows on which system (for example website) he must enter the registration number or serial number. If an item is too small to be provided with a sticker or to indicate the address (for example, the URL) of the search system in another way, it will only be possible to find the owner by means of commonly used search methods based on only the serial number. , such as Internet search engines.

Description of the invention

The invention is characterized in that a unique, machine-readable code in the form of a visible label is applied to the object to be registered (Fig. A). This code can be readable via optical techniques, for example 2D barcode such as QR code (3) (US5726435) or Data matrix (Fig. B), 1D barcode (Fig. F), ..., RFID (Fig. D) radio frequency techniques such as Mifare, new innovative system such as SnapTag (Fig. E) or other automatic reading techniques. The code contains both the general address (4) of the automatic search system and the identification code (5) of the registered object itself.

Contacting the automatic retrieval system as well as passing on the unique registration code of the object is done in a single operation.

Advantages over the prior art

Thanks to the very simple search on the basis of the machine-readable label, ordinary finders and order services can check much more often whether an object that crosses their way has been lost, stolen or simply left behind. A quick check and identification of large groups of objects, such as bicycles, becomes possible. Moreover, with routine checks it can be checked very quickly and easily whether the assets of the controlled person have been lawfully acquired or stolen, without the controller having to enter data on a keyboard and without infringing on privacy.

Finally, the invention ensures that the object cannot be retrieved only when the address of the retrieval system is known to the finder, but also via other common retrieval systems based on the serial number or description of the object, and this in several languages .

Optimal method of implementation

The machine-readable codes can be implemented in various ways. For example, there are multiple formats of one-dimensional (1D) (Fig. F) or two-dimensional (2D) (3) (Fig B) barcodes that can hold quite a lot of information, or there are many standards for radio frequency identification (RFID) ( Fig. D) that can be used worldwide. Today, however, the most known and price-effective code is the two-dimensional QR code (3) (US5726435). This offers the advantage that the use is not tied to a license, that it can contain universal resource locator (uris), that it is compact and yet supports error correction and, above all, that this code is best known to consumers. Moreover, many modern mobile phones or portable computers (tablets) contain a camera and free software that can decipher these codes. This way you can quickly and automatically contact the automatic search system where the further processing of the code takes place.

Unlike the usual QR codes, which contain a fixed URL address for marketing purposes, the QR or other codes used for the search system (3) will each be unique to the registered object in question. The code will be a combination of the address of the retrieval system (4) (in the optimum embodiment an Internet URL) and the unique code (5) of the registered object. The QR code will be at least 1 x 1 cm in size to be deciphered by most reader / camera combinations. The QR code standard will be followed with regard to printing parameters of the code and distance to other graphic elements. Ideally, an average error correction is set to create a minimum of robustness, without making the code too large. Micro QR code (Fig. C) is a new evolution but is not yet supported by the majority of the reading systems. As soon as most reading systems support reading this more compact code, preference will be given to this form. The unique code (5) can be part of the address (4) of the search system (Fig. G), can be pasted to the address (Fig. H) or can be processed in other ways depending on the possibilities of the used communication network.

The unique code of the registered object can consist of a letter-digit combination. In the optimum embodiment it consists of a series of 8 letters and numbers (Fig. I), on the one hand to allow sufficient combinations and on the other hand to keep manual input simple enough, while the size of the QR code remains within limits. In order to avoid mistakes in manual input via a keyboard, the letter "o" is not used since it can be confused with the number "0". The lookup system will therefore automatically replace a letter "o" with the number "0". The proposed 8 letter digits, without “o”, yield 2.25 x 1012 possible combinations. The lookup system will nevertheless allow a different length to accommodate later extensions and also to allow shorter codes for objects where long codes cannot be applied.

Objects can be registered in advance by the owner in the search system, in the optimal execution a website. The registration can be done on the basis of a unique identification number (2) (5) on a label (Fig. A) and whether or not provided with a QR code (3), on the basis of the serial number, on the basis of a description of the article according to classifications (Fig. J) (14) or a combination of these factors.

If the item is lost or stolen, the finder will be able to report it lost or stolen via the website or other means, such as for example SMS. A finder can look up the object in different ways and contact the owner. Option 1: When the finder scans the label with QR code (3) (8), he is then connected in a single operation to the search system (the website) where the identification code (5) is automatically filtered out of the address (4), looked up is shown to the finder in the database and the registered object. He has the option of sending a message to the owner without seeing the personal details of the latter.

Option 2: If the finder does not have a QR code reader, he can enter the address (4) of the search system manually (9) (10) in, for example, his Internet browser. He can then enter the unique registration code (5) (12), either the serial number (13) of the item, or search based on the description (11). When the object is recovered, the procedure is the same as with option 1.

Option 3: Some objects, for example small items such as timepieces without a label, will not be able to state the address (4) of the search system. The finder therefore does not know where he can look up the serial number and will therefore never find the owner. Therefore, as soon as the owner reports the loss of the object, the search system will automatically publish all known data of the object on a publicly accessible zone of the search system. This data can consist of the registration code, the serial number, the classification (Fig. J) of the object (eg Clockwork), the brand, etc. This description can therefore also be found by a finder who does not have the address of the automatic search system. knows the description of the object through another common search system, for example an Internet search engine. Moreover, since the search system can be made multilingual, the predefined characteristics (classification, color, ...) (14) of the registered objects exist in multiple languages in the database. The characteristics of the lost object can therefore be automatically published in multiple languages on the publicly accessible zone so that foreign-language finders can also find the owner via a search in their own language via a common Internet search engine, independent of the language in which the owner registered his object. has. The description of the object in the public zone will initially be published in text form (html) since this form is known by all search engines. Because of the indexing of the pages by the search engines, a finder does not necessarily have to know the address of the search system.

When more structured forms of publication ("Microformats", "Microdata", "RDFa", Rich Snippets, etc.) become available for certain types of objects, these forms can be published as additional options to enable even more efficient search via search engines. When retrieving the object, the procedure is the same as with option 1.

Option 4: Specific user groups, such as, for example, order services, can have a non-public access to the lookup system, for example via an Application Program Interface (API), which allows them to quickly scan large groups of objects for a limited number of parameters (for example, all not stolen), without these users having to perform other manipulations in the system. The API can, for example, use web services such as SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) or JSON (JavaScript Object Notation).

The communication between finder and owner (15) can be done via (anonymous) email, SMS, a publication system on the search system itself, such as an Internet forum discussion, or any other common form of communication, depending on the evolution of technology and the number of personal information that both parties want to make known to each other.

Drawings

Figure A: Machine-readable label with QR code

Figure B: Two-dimensional Data matrix code

Figure C: Micro QR code

Figure D: Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag

Figure E: SnapTag

Figure F: 1D barcode

Figure G: Combined address of search system and object identification Figure H: Combined address of search system and object identification Figure I: Composition of the unique identification code Figure J: Structured data of a registered object Figure K: Different search options for a finder

Explanation of the drawings

Number 1: Address of the search system Number 2: Unique identification of the object Number 3: Machine-readable code Number 4: Address of the search system Number 5: Unique identification of the object Number 6: Antenna

Number 7: Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) circuit

Number 8: Search by scanning of label with QR code

Number 9: Search by manually enter address lookup system and object identification

Number 10: Search by means of manually enter address lookup system and serial number object

Number 11: Search based on the description of the object Number 12: Manually entering the unique identification of the object Number 13: Manually entering the serial number of the object Number 14: Predefined characteristics of the object Number 15: Starting communication between finder and owner

Claims (11)

1. Conclusion 1: A look-up system based on a unique, machine-readable label (Fig. A) per object, the label simultaneously containing the address (4) of the look-up system in which the label is registered as well as the unique code (5) of the registered object, so that with a single automated operation both the lookup system itself and the registered object can be found within the lookup system. 2. Claim 2: According to claim 1, wherein other unique data such as a possible serial number of the object are registered and retrievable in the search system via a possible manual search. 3. Claim 3: According to claim 1, wherein general descriptive data about the object is also recorded in the search system. 4. Claim 4: According to claims 1 to 2 wherein other unique identification data, such as the serial number, of a lost or stolen reported object are also automatically published in text form on an electronic, generally accessible and retrievable publication system. 5. Claim 5: According to claim 3, wherein the description of a lost or stolen object is also automatically published in text form on an electronic publication system. 6. Claim 6: According to claims 2 to 3, wherein the description of a lost or stolen object is also automatically published on an electronic publication system in a structured form with standardized metadata. 7. Claim 7: According to claims 5 to 6, wherein the descriptive data of the article is automatically published in all languages supported by the search system. 8. Claim 8: According to claims 1 to 3, wherein the search system allows the owner and the finder of an object to communicate with each other in an anonymous manner. 9. Conclusion 9: According to claim 8, wherein the communication takes place via email, SMS or similar new media, which is sent from an input form on the search system. 10. Conclusion 10: According to claim 8, wherein the communication takes place via temporary and anonymous email, SMS or other communication addresses that are automatically created by the search system for communication between the parties involved. 11. Claim 11: According to claims 1 to 3, wherein certain user groups have specific access to the search system with which larger groups of objects can be scanned quickly for one or more specific parameters.