Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
  • B65G1/00—Storing articles, individually or in orderly arrangement, in warehouses or magazines
  • B65G1/02—Storage devices
  • B65G1/04—Storage devices mechanical
  • B65G1/137—Storage devices mechanical with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed
  • B65G1/1371—Storage devices mechanical with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed with data records
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
  • G06K17/00—Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
  • G06K19/00—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings
  • G06K19/06—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
  • G06K19/067—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components
  • G06K19/07—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components with integrated circuit chips
  • G06K19/0723—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components with integrated circuit chips the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
  • B65G2209/00—Indexing codes relating to order picking devices in General
  • B65G2209/04—Indication location means

Definitions

• the Intelligent Filing System enables the user to locate the needed file in an intelligent and speedy way by flashing a Light Emitting Diode (LED) or emitting a sound signal. It also displays on the Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) of a receiver (attached to the file) the number of the department requesting the file.
• LCD Liquid Crystal Display
• the same idea could be implemented in a warehouse for requesting parts whereupon receiving the signal the shelf holding the requested item would signal by flashing the LED (or sounding a buzzer or lighting a lamp) indicating its location. In this situation the LCD would display two different numbers, the first number indicates the requesting department (invoice number), and the second number indicates the quantity requested of that item. All these operations are achieved on wireless basis in this system.
• Intelligent filing system is an archiving system in which a file could be located using wireless communication.
• a unit is defined as follows: any item that is given a filing number and usually stored in a specifically organized manner.
• a file in an archive is a unit, a book in a library, or an item in a warehouse is also a unit.
• the kind of item is considered as a unit in the system and is given a specific number.
• the unit number specifically relevant to that kind is used.
• a previously coded wireless receiver figure (5) is attached to each unit of the system. Thousands of units are usually stored in a central location (archive/ warehouse/ library). A stand-alone transmitter figure (1) with a unique identification code is placed in each ordering department. The code is specific to the department or location placing the order. Another version is a centralized transmitter figure (3) connected to the telephone line and optionally hooked to a computer in the computer network of the organization.
• the stand-alone transmitter sends the id number of the unit (and also the quantity) in addition to the code of the ordering department.
• the central system determines the ID number of the ordering department by a caller ID, or it prompts the ordering department via synthesized speech to identify its code.
• the unit number and department codes are then transmitted wirelessly (5 and 10) or (17 and 23) in the form of radio waves or as a beam of invisible light.
• the LCD (25) on the receiver displays the number of the ordering department (and the quantity of ordered items). It is also possible for the receiver to send a signal to the transmitter confirming the receipt of the order.
• the ordered units i.e. those that received the signals and their LED's are flashing (31), are then collected by a person or a robot. He then reads the number on the LCD (25) of each file and sends it to the requesting department or clinic.
• the person collects the ordered quantities of the units that have emitted signals and the numbers on the receiver's screen (25) are then cleared.
• the receiver is programmed (33) on an unused number and is attached to the unit that is placed on the first available shelf space without the need to program the transmitter of its number or place.
• a new ordering department When a new ordering department is to be added, it is given a transmitter with a unique code (9 or 22) or its specific code is added to the central transmitter system.
• a receiver's battery (35) When a receiver's battery (35) is about to expire, this is detected by the energy monitoring unit (36), which starts displaying special alarming signals such as the maintenance department number where it should be sent for replacement (or it sends the receiver's code to the central receiver in case of order confirmation option).
• a large television could be screen connected to a central transmitter, and the persons working in the archive / store can read the list of the received orders from any place in the store and make sure that all the ordered units are collected.
• central transmitter ( 16) it is also possible, in the case of central transmitter ( 16), to request a printed statistical report of all the numbers previously ordered, the ordering departments and the time of order. It is possible in all cases to reprogram the transmitter (6 or 19) or receiver (29) to change its specifications or to add new functions that suit the user's need (through connection with the external computer)
• Figure (1) General view of the transmitter unit of type one (local).
• Figure (2) The internal design of the transmitter unit of type one.
• Figure (3) Transmitter unit of type two (central).
• Figure (4) The internal design of the transmitter unit of type two.
• Figure (6) The internal design of the receiver unit.
• a key-pad (similar to the one on the telephone line), for entering the number of files (and quantities of items).
• a Cancel button to void the request and start again.
• RF Radio Frequency
• IR Infra Red
• the internal components of the stand-alone transmitter is shown in figure 2 as
• a microcontroller for communication with the external world decodes input signals, prepares output signals, and generates the codes to be transmitted wirelessly
• ROM read-only-memory
• An electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) for storing semi-temporary data like the id number of the transmitter (that can be changed as per the user's requirement)
• a wireless transmitting unit that receives the generated code from the microcontroller in the form of serial binary data (bits) and transmits them as radio frequency waves of a certain frequency, or pulses of an invisible beam of light (infrared for example)
• the second type of transmitters is a "central" equipment that connects to the telephone exchange
• the files are requested by calling that telephone extension, and pressing the individual numbers on the telephone key-pad as in the case of normal pagers It is shown in figure 3 whose details are (11) Telephone plug, to connect to a telephone line
• a Report button to obtain a daily/weekly report of numbers requested, the requested departments, and times of requests ( 17) An RF antenna or an IR emitter (18) A Printer port (for printing reports).
• the internal components of the transmitter of the second type is shown in figure 4 as: (20) A micro-controller for communication with the external world (display, key-pad, buttons, printer, and external computer). It decodes input signals, prepares output signals, and generated the codes to be transmitted wirelessly.
• the external world display, key-pad, buttons, printer, and external computer. It decodes input signals, prepares output signals, and generated the codes to be transmitted wirelessly.
• ROM read-only-memory
• EEPROM electrically erasable programmable read only memory
• a wireless transmitting unit that receives the generated code from the microcontroller in the form of serial binary data (bits) and transmits them as radio frequency waves of a certain frequency with enough power to cover the required range, or pulses of an invisible beam of light (infrared for example).
• a Telephone interface unit whose function is to answer the telephone call, generate appropriate voice prompts, decode the Dual Tone Multi Frequency (DTMF) signals representing the number of item and the quantity, and deliver the numbers to the micro- controller.
• DTMF Dual Tone Multi Frequency
• the central type of transmitter may be a plug-in board for a personal computer, which is part of the organization's network, and hence there is a link between the archiving system and the organization ' s databases
• the files is requested directly from the computer terminals.
• an item could be requested from the warehouse using remote computer terminal. This would defmatly facilitate home shopping via the internet
• the receiver is shown in figure 5 with dimensions approaching the size of the wrist watch (so that it could be glued to the file spine). Its components are:
• a Reset button that is recessed so that it has to be pressed intentionally (to erase the numbers from the display).
• a wireless receiving unit which is (in case of RF) an embedded antenna, and a tuned circuit for the transmitter's frequency. It receives the radio waves, demodulates them, and delivers the received codes as binary bits to the micro-controller. In case of light beam transmission, it is a photo-cell sensitive to the frequency of the transmitted beam, and the accompanying electronics.
• a micro-controller which decodes the received bits, compares them with the built-in code of the receiver, and then communicates with the display, flashing LED, and the external computer.
• EEPROM electrically erasable programmable read only memory
• a coding circuit to give the receiver a unique code (one out of several thousands/millions depending on the number of bits used).
• a power supply unit for supplying the electrical energy to the receiver from the internal battery, and is also responsible for regulating battery charging from electrical energy generated from the solar cell.
• a power monitoring unit that inform the micro-controller of the near-end charge of internal battery so that the user is notified appropriately to change the battery.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
• Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
• Warehouses Or Storage Devices (AREA)

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• 1997
  • 1997-08-25 AU AU37816/97A patent/AU3781697A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1997-08-25 WO PCT/IB1997/001031 patent/WO1999010839A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1997-08-25 EP EP97934686A patent/EP1008102A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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